Question

Is the following narration authentic?

كان الرسول ﷺ إن ضاقت دنياه يُردّد، يا حي يا قيوم برحمتك استغيث أصلح لي شأني كلّه ولا تكلني إلى نفسي طرفة عين

When Nabi’s (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) world became constricted, [i.e. when he was in distress], he would repeat, ‘Ya Hayyu Ya Qayyumu bi rahmatika astaghith, aslih li sha-ni kullah wa la takilni ila nafsi tarfata ‘ayn.’

 

Answer

I have not come across these exact words as one complete du’a that Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) would recite when in distress.

This seems to me a combination of the following Hadiths:

1) Sayyiduna Anas ibn Malik (radiyallahu ‘anhu) reports: “When something would distress Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam), he would say, ‘Ya Hayyu Ya Qayyumu bi Rahmatika astaghith.’”

(Sunan Tirmidhi, Hadith: 3524. See here)

 

2) Sayyiduna Anas ibn Malik (radiyallahu ‘anhu) reports that Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said to Sayyidatuna Fatimah (radiyallahu ‘anha), “What will stop you from practising my advice? You should recite the following every morning and evening: ‘Ya Hayyu Ya Qayyumu bi rahmatika astaghith, aslih li sha-ni kullah wa la takilni ila nafsi tarfata ‘ayn.'”

(‘Amalul Yawmi Wal Laylah of Imam Nasai, Hadith: 570, Mustadrak Hakim, vol. 1 pg. 545. See here)

 

3) Sayyiduna Abu Bakrah (radiyallahu ‘anhu) reports that Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said:

“The du’a of a distressed person is ‘Allahumma Rahmataka arju fa la takilni ila nafsi tarfata ‘ayn wa aslih li sha’ ni kullah La ilaha illa Ant.”

(Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith: 5049. See here)

 

And Allah Ta’ala Knows best.

 

Answered by: Moulana Suhail Motala

 

Approved by: Moulana Muhammad Abasoomar